In my original post yesterday, I didn't mention how the Texans created room for Craig Nall to join the team. That wasn't a deliberate oversight; I simply didn't know and frankly didn't even think about it at the time. Today's Chronicle has the answer: N.D. Kalu was handed his walking papers.

Even though this move is hardly surprising (Kalu has seen very little action this year), I'm still bummed. I've always liked Kalu. Super Mario and Amobi Okoye repeatedly said what a great mentor Kalu was to them, and N.D.'s been nothing but a class act his entire career. From everything I've read about the guy, his career numbers don't really do justice to the impact he had on the team. I for one am sad to see him go.

Best of luck in wherever you go and whatever you do from here, N.D. Thanks for being a guy who was easy to root for.

There's a place in the NFL away from the gridiron that players rarely talk about in public and that fans hardly notice. It's a place without stats or the crushing sounds of the gridiron. No refs' whistles or cheering fans. Yet players find themselves in this kind of limbo. That's where I found former Texan defensive end Eric Powell. Because Eric was so open about his experience, we can get an inside look at the Texans as a team.

Who is Eric Powell? He was signed by the Texans to a reserve/future contract on January 2, 2008. He was released July 22, 2008. The Texans' coaching staff liked him because he was a big man who could move. Earl Cochran helped recruit him to the Texans.

He'd been training for months to compete for a spot on the Texans' active roster. During OTAs, he tore some connective tissue in his hip. This didn't outright end his season; rather, it thrust him into a strange limbo. From the moment he was released, numerous conflicting options blossomed. Several NFL teams and even Arena League teams called to inquire about his availability the day he was cut. He could go play for any of those teams, but he would have to sign an injury waiver so if he couldn't play because of pain or further aggravation of his injury, the team he signed with might not owe him any compensation. Because his injury occurred while he was under contract with the Texans, he could take an injury settlement and get paid for this season. He could also be moved to IR if the Texans decide that he is part of their plans for next year.

Despite these options, what Eric Powell wants most it to get back on the field. He's been in Houston since March training non-stop. When other players left on vacation, he stayed at the facility and trained and then trained some more. Football is a passion for Eric Powell.

Now that you know more about who he is, read after the jump to get a closer look at the Texans.

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In 2007 NFL Draft, the Texans used the tenth overall pick on the highly touted defensive tackle, Amobi Okoye. At nineteen, Okoye was the youngest player ever to be drafted. Still growing into his hulking body, Amobi was awash with potential. What made him a first round lock was his level of maturity and his keen intelligence. Fast forward two days short of a year and the Texans again took a defensive tackle who was a whiz in the classroom and a monster on the field. This is the story of Frank Okam.

From a five star recruit to a fifth round draft pick, Frank Okam has seen his stock rise and fall faster than a Silicon Hills start-up. He arrived in Austin with much fanfare and by all accounts, he was destined for greatness. He was built like Shaun Rodgers and supposed to put up numbers like Casey Hampton. When he wasn’t the second coming of either of them, people started to question his desire to play the game. Once branded with the scarlet letter "U" (underachiever), it became tough to convince NFL teams that he was worth a high round draft pick.

Once thought of as a blue chip prospect, he found himself falling all the way to the 151st overall pick. In total, there were thirteen defensive tackles taken before him. To examine the why, let’s take a look at Okam’s college numbers.

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